I felt like I was back at camp today. It rained...all day...I don’t think I have ever been so happy to have Gortex sneakers as when Mona complained that it felt like she was walking on watermelon--her flats weren’t really meant for wading through puddles. I actually told some people about the fireplace in their house and had them nod approvingly instead of looking at me like I am crazy as they typically do. Apparently it’s the rainy season :(
Needless to say, today wasn’t particularly busy at the Schoolhouse. On the other hand, some VIP group came by for lunch and complained that there was a large puddle outside the doorway. So, Mona and I spent quite a while trying to sweep it away (which didn’t work since the sidewalk is slanted and it was still pouring) and eventually filling dustpans with the water and pouring it elsewhere. We must have looked pretty funny!
I ordered today’s special (as described in yesterday’s post) for lunch and the chicken was even better with the plum sauce! However, this meant that I got caught without dinner tonight because I was checking people in during the staff meal. By the time I got back there was no food left anywhere. So, I cooked some more eggplant, mushrooms and noodles. Tana, who didn’t have dinner either, came and joined me and we shared my food and a patty melt that she ordered from the Brickyard as well as some amazing grapefruit tea. Some of the kitchen staff asked to borrow my chess set so Tana and I watched them play five games or so. They are so fast! Maybe someday I can play against one of them...
On a different note, the one-sided conversation I got to listen to Mona having on the phone had me in stitches today, so I thought I might share it:
- Schoolhouse, hello
- You’d like to confirm your reservation for 8 people?
- Hum...I don’t see you on our calendar. What was your name again?
- Oh well...we aren’t too busy tomorrow, I can put you down. What time would you like it for?
- You’d like the table near what?
- The bedroom?
- Oh, you wanted a house!
Apparently it’s a bit confusing that our phone number for the restaurant and lodging is the same...
Showing posts with label week 9. Show all posts
Showing posts with label week 9. Show all posts
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Happy Dragon Boat Festival!
It was insanely humid today and so even though it wasn’t that hot, it felt gross outside. It was the Dragon Boat Festival today (a big holiday in China apparently) and even though the restaurant itself didn’t do much for it, we spent an inordinate amount of time perfecting the signs we had up on blackboards to make sure they sounded patriotic enough.
It was a busy day for hosting and there were a great number of French groups that came by. I think that they, or Germans, must be the most highly represented nationality to visit us. I always get excited because I can speak French with them, but they rarely seem to appreciate it--must have something to do with being a Quebecer.
Sticky rice wrapped in bamboo leaves (Zongzi) is a Chinese tradition on the Dragon Boat Festival, so I had one of those along with dinner. The chefs also had Giulia and me testing out tomorrow’s special--really nice chicken with plum sauce. I’m not sure I have ever tasted better plums!
On the way back home, we stopped off for a few minutes to see the old Mayor in his home in order to prepare Sean for a home visit he will have to interpret soon and another (nearly empty) residence I never knew we had that is nowhere near as nice as the one I’m in.
Giulia invited me out to the local restaurant with Jake, Alex, Gina, Emily and a friend of Emily’s and although I had already eaten dinner, I went and drank tea with them. When I came back, I went to see Mona who was on night duty to ask her if she wanted to play chess. She declined so instead I taught Tana. She’s really good! It’s exciting to have a new playing partner!
It was a busy day for hosting and there were a great number of French groups that came by. I think that they, or Germans, must be the most highly represented nationality to visit us. I always get excited because I can speak French with them, but they rarely seem to appreciate it--must have something to do with being a Quebecer.
Sticky rice wrapped in bamboo leaves (Zongzi) is a Chinese tradition on the Dragon Boat Festival, so I had one of those along with dinner. The chefs also had Giulia and me testing out tomorrow’s special--really nice chicken with plum sauce. I’m not sure I have ever tasted better plums!
On the way back home, we stopped off for a few minutes to see the old Mayor in his home in order to prepare Sean for a home visit he will have to interpret soon and another (nearly empty) residence I never knew we had that is nowhere near as nice as the one I’m in.
Giulia invited me out to the local restaurant with Jake, Alex, Gina, Emily and a friend of Emily’s and although I had already eaten dinner, I went and drank tea with them. When I came back, I went to see Mona who was on night duty to ask her if she wanted to play chess. She declined so instead I taught Tana. She’s really good! It’s exciting to have a new playing partner!
Friday, June 22, 2012
Stranger Danger
Warning: If you are an overprotective parent or other responsible adult, you may not wish to read this post.
I need to renew my visa soon, so today’s plan involved getting a passport sized picture for the paperwork. This would have been a lot simpler had I gone into Beijing for my days off, but they involved more sleep than anything else, so that didn’t happen. Instead, I had to make my way into Huairou.
This is a lot easier said than done, so I went and bothered Tana (who is amazingly helpful and patient) last night and we came up with a plan for me that involved many phrases written down on a map and a great deal of hoping for helpful strangers. I set out around noon and walked to the nearest bus stop (about 20 minutes away) to catch the 916 to Huairou. A bus pulled up just as I was arriving. It had no number on it, but I said Huairou to the driver and he nodded so I got on. Most of the buses in China have the stop names on a scrolling screen at the top, but the screen on this bus was blank. Instead there was a woman announcing the stops in Chinese--people replacing machines seems to be oddly common here.
I managed to get off at the right stop, but had no idea where to find a store that would take ID photos. Everyone said there would be one around though, so I just started walking and showed my paper with what I wanted written in characters to anyone who would look. They pointed me around many corners and in lots of circles, but I eventually found a store in an alley with picture frames in the window. There was a girl sleeping inside so I woke her up and she nodded at my paper. After taking my picture, she photoshopped it for a few minutes -- only in China once again -- and then printed 4 copies out for me (so I won’t have to go back when I need to get the visa renewed again).
Tana had explained to me that getting the bus back would be a lot more complicated but that there were some minibuses near a mall that would take me to the bus stop. As I had no idea where this mall was, and she had told me it was about a 40 minute walk away, I showed the paper once again to the girl who shook her head and then motioned she would call someone. I assumed she was going to call and ask for directions, but 5 minutes or so later a friend of hers pulled up and offered to drive me there for Rmb 7. Normally I wouldn’t get into a car with a stranger but I have been getting into Black (unofficial) taxis from Huairou so I decided I might as well. He drove me to near the mall, but when I got off I still didn’t know how to get to these mini-buses.
I walked around looking for the landmark Tana had given me (a KFC across from a McDonalds) but couldn’t seem to find it. I did on the other hand find an awesome grocery store! Eventually after showing my paper to many more people I found the mini-buses -- more stranger’s cars to get into and took a seat. We waited for it to fill up and the driver drove me to the bus stop I originally took the bus from this morning. A guy from the Schoolhouse also got on so he was able to help me tell the driver where I wanted to get off :)
I made it home and then collapsed for a nap before making eggplant, mushrooms and udon noodles for dinner. It was my first time cooking eggplant and although I could have done it for a little bit longer, I think it was a successful experiment.
I spent my evening watching ted talks and talking to my friend Lee-Ann.
On another exciting note, for those of you who knew that one of my math profs and I had submitted a paper to a conference, it got accepted!!!!!
I need to renew my visa soon, so today’s plan involved getting a passport sized picture for the paperwork. This would have been a lot simpler had I gone into Beijing for my days off, but they involved more sleep than anything else, so that didn’t happen. Instead, I had to make my way into Huairou.
This is a lot easier said than done, so I went and bothered Tana (who is amazingly helpful and patient) last night and we came up with a plan for me that involved many phrases written down on a map and a great deal of hoping for helpful strangers. I set out around noon and walked to the nearest bus stop (about 20 minutes away) to catch the 916 to Huairou. A bus pulled up just as I was arriving. It had no number on it, but I said Huairou to the driver and he nodded so I got on. Most of the buses in China have the stop names on a scrolling screen at the top, but the screen on this bus was blank. Instead there was a woman announcing the stops in Chinese--people replacing machines seems to be oddly common here.
I managed to get off at the right stop, but had no idea where to find a store that would take ID photos. Everyone said there would be one around though, so I just started walking and showed my paper with what I wanted written in characters to anyone who would look. They pointed me around many corners and in lots of circles, but I eventually found a store in an alley with picture frames in the window. There was a girl sleeping inside so I woke her up and she nodded at my paper. After taking my picture, she photoshopped it for a few minutes -- only in China once again -- and then printed 4 copies out for me (so I won’t have to go back when I need to get the visa renewed again).
Tana had explained to me that getting the bus back would be a lot more complicated but that there were some minibuses near a mall that would take me to the bus stop. As I had no idea where this mall was, and she had told me it was about a 40 minute walk away, I showed the paper once again to the girl who shook her head and then motioned she would call someone. I assumed she was going to call and ask for directions, but 5 minutes or so later a friend of hers pulled up and offered to drive me there for Rmb 7. Normally I wouldn’t get into a car with a stranger but I have been getting into Black (unofficial) taxis from Huairou so I decided I might as well. He drove me to near the mall, but when I got off I still didn’t know how to get to these mini-buses.
I walked around looking for the landmark Tana had given me (a KFC across from a McDonalds) but couldn’t seem to find it. I did on the other hand find an awesome grocery store! Eventually after showing my paper to many more people I found the mini-buses -- more stranger’s cars to get into and took a seat. We waited for it to fill up and the driver drove me to the bus stop I originally took the bus from this morning. A guy from the Schoolhouse also got on so he was able to help me tell the driver where I wanted to get off :)
I made it home and then collapsed for a nap before making eggplant, mushrooms and udon noodles for dinner. It was my first time cooking eggplant and although I could have done it for a little bit longer, I think it was a successful experiment.
I spent my evening watching ted talks and talking to my friend Lee-Ann.
On another exciting note, for those of you who knew that one of my math profs and I had submitted a paper to a conference, it got accepted!!!!!
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